a. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to fluid pump dispensers, and, more particularly to a fluid pump dispenser including a twirling dip tube and a figurine mountable thereon for complementary rotation.
b. Description of Related Art
Pump dispensers for containers are well known in the art. In an effort to market such dispensers, manufacturers often provide containers with a variety of ornamental features affixed to the container or incorporated within the container design. In addition to modifying the shape of container, the pump dispenser mechanism may also be modified to include an ornamental figurine mounted thereon, such as the pump dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,958 to Bitton (Bitton ""958).
Referring to Bition ""958, a pump dispenser is disclosed and includes an ornamental figurine mounted on a dip tube extending within a clear container. An actuating rod attached to a pump piston and routed through a screw cap is attached to the ornamental figurine such that the figurine reciprocates on the dip tube in an up and down motion in unison with the dispenser head.
In addition to the reciprocating figurine of Bitton ""958, the prior art also includes pump dispenser designs which enable the twirling action of a figurine upon reciprocation of a dispenser head.
The aforementioned pump dispenser designs however have impractical design constraints, such as, multiple components and/or complex manufacturing requirements, and are therefore economically unfeasible to manufacture.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a pump dispenser design, which enables twirling of an ornamental figurine, which is robust in design, efficient to operate, simple to assemble and disassemble, and which is economically feasible to manufacture.
The invention solves the problems and overcomes the drawbacks and deficiencies of prior art pump dispenser designs by providing a novel fluid pump dispenser including a twirling dip tube.
Thus, an exemplary aspect of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump dispenser which is usable with standard containers to provide a twirling figurine.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump dispenser which is robust in design, efficient to operate, simple to assemble and disassemble, and economically feasible to manufacture.
Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a means for disturbing and/or stirring fluid within a container.
The invention achieves the aforementioned exemplary aspects by providing a fluid pump dispenser including a spring biased pump piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocable between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. A driver nut may be mounted adjacent the pump piston and include at least one flange engaged with at least one respective spiral turn on a spindle disposed within the pump chamber to thereby rotate the spindle during reciprocation of the pump piston. A dip tube may be disposable within a container and affixed to the spindle for rotation with the spindle.
For the fluid pump dispenser described above, the spring for biasing the pump piston may be disposed within the pump cylinder to negatively bias the pump piston during the pressure stroke and positively bias the pump piston during the return stroke. A frusto-conical seal may be disposed at an end of the spindle to define a valve for controlling an inlet passage extending into the pump cylinder and configured to prevent passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The frusto-conical seal may be disposable in mating engagement with a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke. The spindle may be reciprocable during the pressure and return strokes to respectively engage and disengage the frusto-conical seal from a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to respectively prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The frusto-conical seal may be engageable with a stop to thereby limit the reciprocation of the spindle during the return stroke. The stop may be the spring for biasing the pump piston. The dip tube may include a figurine mounted thereon for rotation with the spindle. The figurine may be configured to disturb fluid in the container and otherwise entertaining users of all ages. The valve controlled discharge passage may be controlled by a ball check valve.
The invention further provides a fluid pump dispenser including a spring biased piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocable between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. The fluid pump dispenser further includes means for rotating a spindle during reciprocation of the piston, and a dip tube affixed to the spindle for rotation with the spindle.
For the fluid pump dispenser described above, the spring for biasing the piston may be disposed within the pump cylinder to negatively bias the piston during the pressure stroke and positively bias the piston during the return stroke. The fluid pump dispenser further includes means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enabling passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder may include a seal disposable in mating engagement with a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke. The spindle may be reciprocable during the pressure and return strokes to respectively engage and disengage the means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder from a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to respectively prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder may be engageable with a stop to thereby limit the reciprocation of the spindle during the return stroke. The stop may be the spring for biasing the piston. The dip tube may be a figurine mounted thereon for rotation with the spindle. The fluid pump dispenser may be mounted onto a container and the figurine may be configured to disturb fluid in the container. The valve controlled discharge passage may be controlled by a ball check valve.
The invention yet further provides a method of twirling a dip tube operatively connected to a spring biased piston in a fluid pump dispenser. The method includes providing the spring biased piston having a generally hollow stem and reciprocating the piston between pressure and return strokes within a pump cylinder therewith defining a variable volume pump chamber for dispensing fluid through a discharge opening at an outer end of the stem. The stem defines a valve controlled discharge passage leading from the pump chamber to the discharge opening. The method further includes providing means for rotating a spindle during reciprocation of the piston and affixing the dip tube to the spindle for rotation with the spindle.
For the method described above, the method further includes providing the spring for biasing the piston within the pump cylinder to negatively bias the piston during the pressure stroke and positively bias the piston during the return stroke, and providing means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enabling passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder may include a seal disposable in mating engagement with a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke. The method yet further includes reciprocating the spindle during the pressure and return strokes to respectively engage and disengage the means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder from a complementary valve seat within the pump cylinder to respectively prevent the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the pressure stroke and enable the passage of fluid into the pump cylinder during the return stroke. The method also includes engaging the means for preventing passage of fluid into the pump cylinder with a stop to thereby limit the reciprocation of the spindle during the return stroke. The stop may be the spring for biasing the piston. The method further includes providing a figurine mounted on the dip tube for rotation with the spindle, mounting the fluid pump dispenser onto a container, the figurine being configured to disturb fluid in the container, and controlling the valve controlled discharge passage by a ball check valve.
Additional features, advantages, and embodiments of the invention may be set forth or apparent from consideration of the following detailed description, drawings, and claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that both the foregoing summary of the invention and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation without limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.